Hollow display article



Nov. 20, 1951 R..H. ERLEwlNE 2,575,512

HOLLOW DISPLAY ARTICLE.

Filed April 22, 1948 l l l Patented Nov. 20, 1951 HOLLOW DISPLAY ARTICLE Richard H. Erlewine, Marion, Ind., assignor to General Plastics Corporation, Marion, Ind., a V

corporation Application April 22, 1948, Serial No. 22,552

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hollow display articles such as decorative signs, Christmas ornaments, and the like capable of being illuminated, display forms for clothing, and similar three dimension structures formed of sheet material.

It is the purpose of the invention to provide a light and economical structure of the above character such as may serve as illuminated outdoor Christmas ornaments and displays having a pleasing and attractive appearance and capable of being packed and shipped in knockdown form or sections and conveniently assembled.

The invention contemplates an assembly of opposed and mating sections of thermoplastic sheet material of a cellulose derivative, each section being preformed to a surface contour such as when assembled presents a decorative three dimension article. Such structure permits the sections to be disassembled for nesting and packing, and conveniently assembled after shipment.

Another feature of the invention resides in forming a surface illuminated article formed of a pair of opposed and mating sections of translucent sheet material such as when the sections are assembled they may embrace a centrally disposed lamp bulb, and providing reflective and light diffusing surfaces in a manner to distribute and diffuse light throughout the entire structure. For example, when the article takes the form of a holly wreath surrounding a Christmas bell or similar decorative gures, the light rays emitting from a lamp contained within the bell will be directed about and diffused from the surface of the I surrounding wreath.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. l is a front elevation of one form of an illuminated decorative article simulating an annular holly wreath surrounding a Christmas bell for illumination from a centrally disposed light Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of .-2 tions. One section is formed of such material with a decorative rim I0 illustrated ashaving the configuration of a holly wreath. Said rimk is` curved outwardly in cross section to substantially the contour of a holly wreath. The outer periphery of the section terminates in an outwardlyrextending flange I I and the inner periphery merges into an intermediate wall portion I2. Formed inv the intermediate wall portion I2 there is a decorative enlargement I3, herein shown in the shapeV of a half section of a Christmas bell.

A mating section is similarly formed with the annular rim I4 surrounded by the ange y |53 adapted to mate with and abut the ange I I. An intermediate wall portion I6 is formed within the; rim and embraces the half section I'I of the dec-:Vl

orative bell. M Y Y The two sections are so formed .that when their flanges II and I5 are brought into abutment the intermediate wall portions I2 and I6 are in spaced.

relation to provide alight passage therebetween.

and having a conducting cord 20.

outer supporting rings 2 Ib.

For packing and shipping the article the opposed sections in their disassembled relation may be nested one within the other. In assemblying the sections, upon the flanges II and I5 being brought into abutment, wire forms 22 and 23 are seated about their respective anges Il and I5 and are rigidly clamped together by a series of detachable C-shaped spring clamps 24 adapted to be snapped over the wire forms at spaced intervals thereabout. Through the medium of the wire forms seating upon the flanges and removably clamped to each other by the clamps 24 the sections are rmly held together in their assembled relation.

By forming the intermediate wall portions I2 and I6 to a less depth than the anges they are retained in spaced relation to provide an annular passage surrounding the light source I8 through which the light rays therefrom are free to pass into and be diffused about the decorative rims I0 and I4 for illuminating them, as well as the central decorative enlargements I3, II.

In the exploded view of the modified form of article shown in Fig.5, for purposes of illustration there is shown an illuminated star similarly formed of two mating rounded by outwardly extending flanges I|| and I| 5, the central portions II3, II'I, being spaced apart to receive a light source in the form of a bulb therebetween, said bulb being carried by a socket |20 formed in the central enlargement I I7. For seating upon the iiange III of the section |I there is provided a Awire form |212 conforming in shaperto said liange, and for seating upon the ange I I5 there is provided a corresponding wire ring |23. Said forms are clamped together when seated on their respective flanges Vand with the flanges of the respective section'sin "abutment by the spring clips |24. l i

Whereas there has been herein.- particularly described illuminated Christmas ornaments of molded thermoplastic sheet material, ,the article may take any desired form or be applied to any desired use such as a dress form, sign; or like articles of hollow three dimension structure with or: without illumination wherein .the structure comprises a pair -of-opposed mating sections with abutting peripheral .iianges .about which -detachablewire `forms are seated `and secured by aseries of removable clamps.

, VWherein it maybe desirable to mount such decorativearticle-ona wall `orsurface so that only oneA side is exposed -to View, then in that -event only ,one .of the sections .need be vpreformed with the Ydecorative contours;v whereas the .opposed section may be .nat-and uniformed lso 4as to lie against .the .supporting ,-surface. However, the article would still .maintain its three dimensional form with one surfaceinrelief .and spaced from the flat surface, the two .sections being similarly assembled `and .secured by the forms as above described.

-The invention claimed is: Y

1` A surface illuminated article comprising a pair of opposed andmating sections of translucent sheet material, each v.section Vbeing preformed to .provide a decorative rim `curved in cross section, the Aouter -,periphery of -each section terminating Vin mating outwardly extending flanges .and the. inner,y ,periphery vmerging into an intermediate wall portion of less depth, a metal form removably .mounted about the rim and Aseatable on -the flange of -each section, a series V.of spaced clamps -engageable lover said sections IIB and III sur` pair of opposed and mating sections of translucent sheet material, at least one of said sections being preformed to provide a decorative rim curved .in cross section, the outer periphery of said rim terminating in an outwardly extending flange andthe inner periphery merging into an intermediate wall portion of less depth, said flange vbeing adapted to seat against the peripheral p'ortion of the other said mating section, a form removably seatable on said flange, a conforming form seatable about the .outer portion of thesaid other said section, a series -of spaced clamps engageable over saidforrns upon said sections .being assembled with their respective flanges and peripheral portions abutting and with their inner portions in opposed spaced relation, an outwardly formed decorative enlargement in the wall portion .of said preformed section, and an illuminating element mounted within said enlargement adapted for illumination thereof and dissemination of light rays through the space intermediate the inner portions of said sections for iluumination of the decorative rim on said preformed section.

RICHARD H. ERLEWINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record .in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

